Monty coming to America is good news

Some of the best news in weeks for golf came from Colin Montgomerie during his World Golf Hall of Fame induction speech.

Seems that Montgomerie, one of the best players ever in Europe and a lightning rod for American fans during eight Ryder Cups as a player and one as a captain, has decided to come to the United States to play some Champions Tour golf.

The Scottish star doesn't turn 50 until June, but after that, we can expect to see Montgomerie regularly in the United States playing against some of his old foes and friends. Players like Bernhard Langer and Fred Couples and Tom Lehman will likely welcome Montgomerie with open arms, knowing he will provide at least a temporary jolt for a tour that thrives on new arrivals.

Why will Monty, who has never won an official stroke-play event on U.S. soil, be such a big boost to the Champions Tour? Well, first, look at history. This is not just another player from Europe. He won seven European Tour Order of Merit trophies in a row at one point and added and eighth later. If the World Golf Hall of Fame is going to live up to its "World" billing, Colin Montgomerie had to be inducted at some points. He was that good of a player.

And yet there has always been something about Montgomerie that caused many U.S. fans to dislike him. Maybe it was the lack of a major title, despite the fact that he can oh so close time and time again. There were playoff losses n the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship and brushes with victories in those tournaments at other times. There was that second-place finish in the British Open where he finished a mere nine shots behind Tiger Woods.

Or maybe Americans have not liked Monty because he was at the center of a lot of European victories in the Ryder Cup. He was 6-0-2 in singles in the Ryder Cup, and that only because he conceded a halve on a final hole once that denied him an outright victory. As Americans struggled to understand why our side couldn't beat their side, it was Montgomerie who kind of stood as the symbol of the European side. To add insult to injury, Monty also captained the winning Europeans team in 2010.

And of course there were the rabbit ears. Throw an insult at Tiger Woods and you might get a cold stare, assuming Woods heard you at all. Toss an insult at Monty and he might actually engage you in an argument. For some American fans, unfortunately, that was good sport back in the 1990s.

And honestly, Monty always seemed to have a little bit of a sniffy attitudes, something that most Americans don't like. You could still see that in his speech Monday night.

But this is the Champions Tour, and everything has changed for most of the players from their prime playing days. Rivalries are forgotten and friendships rekindled. Hopefully American fans will be able to let some of the past go and appreciate Monty for his great player and what he brings to the tour. It might be a big boost for the Champions Tour and for Monty's image in the United States.

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Monty coming to America is good news

Some of the best news in weeks for golf came from Colin Montgomerie during his World Golf Hall of Fame induction speech.